Walking is an effective way to get in shape and lose weight. It is an easy and pleasant experience as well. Walking could actually be the one successful activity that will help you lose weight. The reason is that walking is as effective as high-intensity activities while being more gentle on the body. In order to lose weight by fitness walking you need to add variety to your walking routine. This article will give you some tips on intensifying your workout.

Walking for Weight Loss

If you want to lose weight you don’t need to worry about sweating in the gym or exhausting yourself every day. Fitness walking is a gentle and pleasant way to lose weight. If you walk at a brisk and steady pace you are able to burn almost as many calories as you do while jogging or running. So if running is not for you then you can get the same positive effects by fitness walking.

Fitness walking allows you to burn a lot of calories. The amount of calories you burn per hour depends on your actual weight and your speed. But for sure, with the right speed you will easily be able to burn 500 calories. So it is a great way to exercise when you want to lose weight.

You need to get yourself a pair of good quality walking shoes and that is basically all you need to get started. If you are a beginner it is important to take it easy in the beginning until your muscles and joints have gotten used to the increase in activity. You can gradually increase your distance and pace as you get stronger.

The best thing about walking for weight loss is that it is easy and convenient. You don’t need a lot of equipment to get started and you don’t need expensive memberships. All you need is to put on your shoes and get out there. You can fit in your walking program whenever it fits in your daily schedule. And you have the freedom to do it everywhere. It is a very flexible type of exercise and that is why it is very effective for many people.

Walking Programs For Weight Loss

When you have gotten used to fitness walking and you are able to walk a good distance without getting tired then you can start adding some variety to your workout. This will make it easier for you to lose weight. When you first start out fitness walking you will see results very fast. As with any other type of exercise there comes a time when the body has gotten used to the increased activity and you don’t see results just as fast anymore. Then you know it is time to add a little extra.

There are many ways you can alternate your walking routine. One of the best ways to lose weight is to perform interval training. This means that you alternate your pace so you swift between high-intensity walking and low-intensity walking. For instance, you can walk very fast for 10 minutes and then slow down for 5 minutes. This type of exercise is great for your cardiovascular fitness.

Here are some tips on how you can alternate your walking program:

• Interval walking
• Walking on stairs
• Walking on hills
• On-walk exercises
• Walking on sand
• Walking with a stroller

Walking on stairs and hills will also give you an added effect to your workout. You can alternate in so many ways, it is only your imagination that sets the limits. For instance, you can walk up fast and walk down slowly. Even when you walk down slowly you use your muscles a lot as they have to keep you balanced as you slow down.

If you walk outside in nature you can take some breaks where you do another type of exercise. If you have a park or a forest near by, you can do sit ups on a fallen tree, arm lifts on a branch of a tree, and squats leaning on a bench. If you live near a coast line you can take walks on the beach and get the effect of walking on sand. Only the sky is the limit when it comes to fitness walking.

If you have kids you can walk with a stroller. Pushing a kid or two in front of you will surely get your pulse up. If you walk fast with a stroller you will be able to burn extra calories and tone your arms as well. Then add a hill as well and you are on a sure way to weight loss. If you have given birth recently, then this is a good way to get rid off some extra weight.